In recent years, it has become common to stack semiconductors, particularly high power semiconductors, in an operative assembly for any of a variety of reasons. In some cases, the motivating desire may be providing a compact assembly of semiconductors while in others, the motivating desire may be related to minimizing the distance that a control signal has to pass to more than one semiconductor to assure that the semiconductors are controlled as close to absolutely simultaneously as possible.
In any event, during operation of the circuits including such semiconductors, heat is generated and efforts must be made to remove the heat to prevent damage to the semiconductors.
Commonly, heat sinks and/or various cooling schemes have been employed for the purpose. In most instances, such components are metallic to provide good thermal conductivity and as a consequence, are electrical conductors. Consequently, where the semiconductors in a stack must be electrically isolated from one another, electrical insulators must be interposed at various locations in the stack. Many electrical insulators are poor conductors of heat and thus may interfere with efficient cooling of the various semiconductors.
The present invention is directed to providing a new and improved cooling and heat sink structure for use in semiconductor stacks which provides high thermal efficiency while allowing the semiconductors in the stack to be operated at differing electrical potentials by reason of electrical isolation of the semiconductors from one another.